England Beat Ireland in First T20I
England kicked off their tour of Ireland with a thrilling four-wicket win in the opening T20I at Malahide, moving 1–0 up in the series.
Ireland’s Innings
Batting first, Ireland put up a strong total of 196 for 3 in their 20 overs. The highlight of the innings was the partnership between Harry Tector (61 off 36)* and Lorcan Tucker (55 off 36), who added 123 runs for the fourth wicket. That stand rescued Ireland after they lost both openers — Paul Stirling and Ross Adair — soon after a promising 57-run opening stand.
England’s Chase
For England, it was all about Phil Salt’s explosive batting. Opening the innings, he smashed 89 from just 46 balls, peppering the boundary with ten fours and four sixes. Together with Jos Buttler, who scored a quick 28 off 10 deliveries, Salt gave England a flying start with 74 runs inside the first five overs.
Young skipper Jacob Bethell, leading England for the first time at just 21 years old, contributed a useful 24 off 16 balls. Sam Curran (27 off 15) kept the chase moving, while Jamie Overton finished things off in style with a six and a four in the 18th over.
Key Takeaways
Ireland’s middle-order fightback gave them a competitive total.
Salt’s knock completely tilted the game in England’s favour.
Bethell’s debut as captain was a successful one, making him the youngest man to lead England in T20Is.
England now head into the next match with momentum firmly on their side, while Ireland will look to bounce back quickly to keep the series alive.